What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? Is that a "role" anyone can be born into? Do they enjoy torturing people? If a hell being enjoys killing endless beings in Hell, then will they be reborn to suffer the same torture they inflicted?

Mythology is to truth what notation and theory is to music, a way of describing truth. The notes themselves h ave no meaning though outside the context of describing music. They definitely aren't music itself.

Motova wrote:What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? Is that a "role" anyone can be born into? Do they enjoy torturing people? If a hell being enjoys killing endless beings in Hell, then will they be reborn to suffer the same torture they inflicted?

randomseb wrote:Are they perhaps, emanations of your own mind, a sort of personification of the neuroses you build up and carry along with you where ever you go like a huge mountain on your back?

Perhaps, but isn't it said that one is tortured amongst others? So wouldn't that suggest that a Hell being would torture those around you as well?

The Tibetan book of the dead interpretations I've seen suggest emenations of your own mind, not sure why there'd be something as specific and westernized as everyone burning together in some pot, though!

Disclaimer: If I have posted about something, then I obviously have no idea what I am talking about!

"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.Through the qualities of meditating in that way,Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."

Motova wrote:What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? Is that a "role" anyone can be born into? Do they enjoy torturing people? If a hell being enjoys killing endless beings in Hell, then will they be reborn to suffer the same torture they inflicted?

well, if i remember correctly, one is faced with their wrongs upon hitting the consciousness field in chikai, where you become aware of all. Then based on that, if you did something terribly wrong, you would probably condemn yourself to something terrible.......

""Then the hell-wardens torture [the evil-doer] with what's called a five-fold imprisonment. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil kamma is not exhausted."Devaduta Sutra

Motova wrote:What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? Is that a "role" anyone can be born into? Do they enjoy torturing people? If a hell being enjoys killing endless beings in Hell, then will they be reborn to suffer the same torture they inflicted?

/Dylan

"What exactly are the beings who supposedly torture those unfortunate beings who are born into the realms of Hell? " They're living beings. Living beings appear in the world in accordance with their karma. Whether, they're rich, poor, tall, short, smart, stupid, have power over others, others have power over them; all that is karma. What form we are born with also karma; we could be born as humans, animals, insects....

"Is that a "role" anyone can be born into?"Of course, if they make the cause; it's all karma.

""Then the hell-wardens torture [the evil-doer] with what's called a five-fold imprisonment. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil kamma is not exhausted."Devaduta Sutra

Not exactly the answer I was looking for but really, I currently fail to see why I asked the question anyway... I think I may have misread Motovas statement.

""Then the hell-wardens torture [the evil-doer] with what's called a five-fold imprisonment. They drive a red-hot iron stake through one hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other hand, they drive a red-hot iron stake through one foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the other foot, they drive a red-hot iron stake through the middle of his chest. There he feels painful, racking, piercing feelings, yet he does not die as long as his evil kamma is not exhausted."Devaduta Sutra

Not exactly the answer I was looking for but really, I currently fail to say why I asked the question anyway... I think I may have misread Motovas statement.

Oh, okay, in that case I'm sure I didn't understand the question either. But thanks for asking, it got me thinking about how to answer the opening question better.

I couldn't tell you... I remember I read somewhere that beings are boiled together in a pot of oil. Are you implying that each hell being has a personalized entourage of torturers?

/Dylan

Oh yeah. There's karma even in hell. Some people made the cause to be tortured, others made the cause to be torturers. There's even a King of Hell. He's in hell with everybody else, but he can do what he wants and tell everybody else what to do. Same as things are in this world. Which is to say : the conditions of Hell exist in the here and now, as do all the other realms.